SPAC concert review: UPROAR Festival

As a woman in a swing hovers above, Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell performs with the band during Tuesday's Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival at SPAC. Photo Ed Burke/SARATOGIAN 8/13/13

By LAUREN HALLIGAN

Despite threats of rainstorms predicted for Tuesday, concert-goers filed into Saratoga Performing Arts Center that afternoon for a rock-filled day at the fourth annual Uproar Festival.

Morning clouds cleared for the first half of the concert, which was held in the main parking lot, with several bands performing on two alternating stages throughout the afternoon. Local acts The 7th Squeeze and Frank Palangi started the festival, followed by several not-so-local acts including New Politics from Denmark, Charming Liars out of the United Kingdom, and Australian group The Dead Daisies.

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On their first East Coast tour, Charming Liars bassist Mike Kruger said "All of our favorite bands are from America, and to come here and play alongside some of them is awesome."

Regarding the afternoon's diverse lineup, "I'm impressed," said Karli Smith of Galway, "There are a lot of bands I've never heard of that truly blew me away."

Fans migrated to the main stage just after 6 p.m., when Circa Survive got things started in the amphitheater. A downpour ensued, during "Holding Someone's Hair Back," during which energetic frontman Anthony Green declared "That's glorious," though anyone with lawn seats to the festival certainly disagreed. As Circa Survive continued their set including songs such as "The Lottery," and "Brother Song," clouds cleared once again, taking the unfortunate weather with them, for good.

Progressive metal band Coheed and Cambria were next to take the main stage at the festival. In addition to frontman Claudio Sanchez's distinctive afro, his distinctive vocals and exceptional guitar playing made the performance a memorable experience for all in the crowd, especially as they played hits "A Favor House Atlantic," and "Welcome Home," for which Sanchez broke out his double neck guitar.

Next, Jane's Addiction performed a flashy set, incorporating sex, drugs, and rock and roll as frontman Perry Farrell paced the stage in a golden jacket alongside a shirtless Dave Navarro. Accompanied on stage by two provocatively choreographed female dancers, the band performed a high-energy set including "Been Caught Stealing," and their brand new single "Another Soulmate."

Flashiness aside, the four gathered front stage to close their set by leading an acoustic sing-along to "Jane Says," complete with steel drums.

Headlining act Alice in Chains took the stage around 10 p.m. in front of a crowd that was eager to rock out one last time. They opened with "Hollow," a single off of their fifth studio album "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here," released in May.

Comparably darker in tone than previous act, the four men were staggered across the SPAC stage with a simple, but gigantic moving light show behind them, letting the music simply speak for itself.

The first half of the set included songs "Again," "Check My Brain" and 1991 hit "Man in the Box," on which frontman William DuVall roared out lyrics identically in fashion to his predecessor, the late Layne Staley.

An acoustic rendition of "Nutshell," followed by "Got Me Wrong," transitioned the band into a heavier portion of the set including their latest single "Stone."

The band didn't leave without playing fan favorites "Down In A Hole" and the iconic "Rooster," with which they wrapped up their set, flashing a final message of "PEACE" across their humungous motion picture display.

Satisfied with the band for playing a mixture of new and old songs, "I like the fact that they switched it up," said 21-year old Brian McHale, appreciative that the band managed to keep their overall sound solid throughout the years.